Zonko's Word-Activated Fireworks
by I.Caught.Fire.In.His.Eyes
Summary: How did James and Sirius meet? Well, however it's told, it definitely has to be a prank that brings them together. AU. Slight off canon personalities. (Expected as only JKR can write them completely canon).


"Sirius!" Walburga shrieked as she crossed the empty room to crouch down next to the eight-year old boy.

"What?"

"_What? _You dare say what to me in such a tone?"

"Oh, I mean 'Yes, m'lord?'"

"…"

"Yes, m'am…" Sirius grinded out.

"Lose the attitude, Sirius Orion Black."

Sirius just frowned.

"Now, as you well know we're having a ball. This is very important, much more than the last few…" Walburga narrowed her eyes at the memories' it brought up. "This is not just family, Sirius. It is your father's associates at work. If this were to go wrong, he could lose his job! And then what would we do? You wouldn't have new dress robes every week, we—"

"We'd be low like a _filthy _muggle?"

_Slap._

"How dare you speak to me like that!" She shrieked.

"Sorry," Sirius murmured, rubbing his cheek.

She let out a long sigh. "If I see any smoke… if anyone screams because they see a rat in the food, or… or anything, Sirius… you will regret it, am I understood?"

"Yes."

"…"

"Yes, _m'am." _

"Good."

[Two hours later]

The ballroom was filled with adults speaking of boring topics. Well, boring to Sirius. And the children were even worse, all trained for public eye. It disgusted Sirius. This was why he was standing across the room glaring at the few children he'd one day have to share a dorm with. (One day he wasn't looking forward to at all). He only recognized a few of the twenty-odd some children.

Anastasia Brightwood, who was changing her hair color to amuse his younger brother, Regulus – who was on them like a fly; Rabastian Lestrange who was standing next to his older brother Rodolphus both looking far too arrogant for even Sirius' taste. Oh, speaking of arrogance, there was Lucius Malfoy who Sirius had the urge to ignite the boy's long hair. Lucinda something, Emma Vanity – who Sirius thought her surname fit quite well, Veronica Moss, the Carrow-twins, and oh… wonderful, there were his three lovely cousins: Bellatrix, Narcissa, and Andromeda. Andy wasn't so bad, he guessed.

"Go socialize!" His mother hissed into his ear as she passed by, the moment she was out of ear-range a completely fake smile spread out on her face as she clung to his father's arm.

"Socialize," Sirius repeated in a mocking tone, a smirk spreading out across his face as he turned on his heel and headed out of the ball room. He took the stairs up to the third floor where his and Regulus' room was, slipping into his own room and opening up his toy trunk. "I'll show you socialize!" He hissed, pulling out a black bag. "A Black must know how to entertain their guests," he drawled out with a roll of his eyes before hurrying downstairs.

He came back to the kitchen to find the house elves setting up the food. He slipped inside and cleared his throat to bring the elves' attention to him. "All of you out!" He ordered. Most of them disappeared except one, who was glaring at him from the chair he was standing in.

"_Master _Sirius."

"Kreacher. I said out!"

"Master Orion has ordered—"

"I don't care! Kreacher, out!"

"Of course, young master." Kreacher said, sarcasm pouring from his tone as he leaped down from the chair and disappeared into the kitchen.

"Stupid house elf…" Sirius cursed as he climbed into the chair Kreacher was just in.

"Kreacher isn't stupid!"

"Go away, Reggy."

"Regulus. My name is Regulus."

"Go away, Regulus."

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing."

"Is that… are those fireworks? Sirius!"

"Regulus!" Sirius whined as he pushed one of the magical fireworks into some sort of mushy salad.

"Sirius you're going to—"

"They won't know it's me."

"Sirius, mum always knows!"

"Regulus, go!"

"But, Siri—"

"Shh!"

Sirius finished putting one of the fireworks in each of the courses before jumping down and walking to his brother. He gave the smaller boy a smirk, holding his hand out to show he had one firework left. "Go put it in the cake."

"Sirius…"

"What? You don't want to?"

"…"

"You do. Come on. I'll take the blame."

"But—"

"You're just like them." Sirius spat, turning on his heel and hurrying over to the cake, jamming the firework in.

"I'm not—"

"Sure, Reg. Sure. Come on." Sirius ordered, grabbing his brother's hand and pulling him into the dining room.

"What are we doing?"

"Shh." Sirius hushed, standing aside in an innocent manner as the doors opened and the guests poured in.

The house elves appeared and set up plates at each chairs before the guests claimed their spot. "Sirius, Regulus, come sit by your father." Walburga ordered. When Regulus turned to move, Sirius held onto his arm to keep him from going.

"Sirius…" Regulus whispered.

"Shh."

"Sirius, Regulus. Come now." Walburga ordered, glaring over at the two boys in the corner.

"Sirius…"

"Ardens!" Sirius called the moment he spotted the first person, who happened to be his mother, stick her fork into her plate.

When he shouted the spell, his mother stared over at him, recognizing the Latin spell but before she could react, each plate exploded. Sirius quickly turned in front of his brother, closing his eyes as his back was hit with food debris. It sounded as though everyone let out a scream. When Sirius glanced over his shoulders, he couldn't help but grin. His mother was covered in salad, and the mushy yellow food that Sirius didn't like, his father was covered in chocolate and some kind of red stuff, and everyone else was covered in various foods, even the kids.

"S-sirius…" Regulus widened his eyes.

"Come on!" Sirius grinned, grabbing his brother's hand and pulling him out of the room.

"SIRIUS ORION BLACK!" His mother shrieked through the house.

Sirius hurried into the kitchen, knowing his mother wouldn't come look for him in there. He released his brother's hand who still seemed to be in shock. "Hilarious, right?"

"Sirius you're going to be in so much—"

"So? I'm going to be in trouble anyway for not socializing enough or something… she'll find something," he shrugged his shoulders.

"Sirius…"

"REGULUS, WHERE ARE YOU?" Walburga shrieked.

"Better go. Wouldn't want mommy mad, would we?" Sirius glared.

"Sirius…" Regulus sighed, exiting the room.

Sirius sat in the kitchen for a good twenty minutes, waiting for hopefully everyone to go him before running up to his room. When he pulled the door open to stare out into the hall only to find two boys he didn't recognize.

"That was brilliant!" One said as he wiped off his glasses on a clean part of his shirt.

"Y-yeah it was!" the smaller boy squeaked.

"You guys thought it was brilliant?" Sirius asked as he slipped out.

"'Course, mate! Were you the one who did that?"

"Yeah."

"What kind of fireworks did you use?"

"The ones from Zonko's, word-activated."

"Absolutely brilliant." The boy shook his head, slipping his glasses back on before holding his hand out. "James Potter. Da made us come… an Auror, he is."

"Auror? Cool!" Sirius grinned, taking hold of the hand. "Sirius Black!" He said as he shook it as a greeted.

"Black?" James frowned.

"I'm not like them." Sirius stated proudly.

"Oh, well good then. So you live here?"

"Yeah."

"It's…" James glanced around in an attempt to find something nice to say about the house.

"Horrid."

"Yeah." Both boys snickered.

"I should go; mum'll worry if I'm gone too long." James shrugged.

"Alright. See you later."

"Definitely! Maybe one day we can go to Zonko's and you can show me those fireworks."

"Definitely."


End file.
